2 months, 3 weeks and 5 days
by InnocentSmile97
Summary: To Edmund, it had all changed when his Father left to go to war... attitude, friends, school, siblings, everything. Oneshot on how he feels before L,W&W. R&R please!


**2 months, 3 weeks and 5 days**

Edmund Pevensie slipped quietly in through the front door and shut it behind him with a click. He had taken a bit of a detour on the way home from school. He'd been playing about in the rubble of bombed houses trying to see how much shrapnel he could collect. His Mother hated it when he did this. She claimed he could stumble upon an unexploded bomb. She never told him off too badly though. It was Peter and Susan that seemed to take it upon themselves to do that.

Edmund couldn't explain why he still went into the rubble even though he knew the dangers and the trouble he could get into. Maybe he just needed a place to be besides home and school. Or maybe he liked feeling a bit rebellious.

Footsteps pattered down the landing, coming closer to the stairs and Edmund drew an intake of breath, preparing himself for the shouting to come…

"C'mon Ed, tea's ready!" said his younger sister, Lucy as she jumped the remaining steps and raced into the kitchen.

Edmund exhaled. But not in relief. In disappointment. Lucy hadn't even realised his absence…

He chucked his tatty school bag into the corner of the hallway along with his a-little-too-small shoes. He sighed as he shrugged off his blazer and dumped on the coat hanger. It fell off but Edmund couldn't be bothered to pick it up.

"There you are, Ed! I've been calling and calling you!" said Mother as Edmund appeared in the small kitchen/dining room. Peter was filling up glasses of water as Susan set the table, Mother finished serving the food and Lucy sat eagerly awaiting. All completely normal jobs. All saying completely normal things. None of them had noticed. Not one.

_What is wrong with me? _Thought Edmund, _do I want to get caught or something?_ Surely, them not noticing meant he'd been very sneaky in getting back in unnoticed. It was a good thing, right? He'd got away with it.

And yet, a small voice in the back of Ed's head was muttering something to him. Something about being ignored and them not bothering to find out where he was… not caring…

He pushed that little voice out of his mind and tried to act as casually as he could as Mother placed a plate of food in front of the four children.

"There you go." She said, "I know it's not much my dears, but it's all I can get at the moment. I'm afraid these rations are... taking their toll…"

Edmund had been too busy with his dismal dinner of home-grown vegetables, a slice of toast and one sausage to notice Mother's sad, worried face and slight crack in her voice.

"So, tell me about your days." said Mother, like she always did, as she sat down with her plate of food. There weren't as many vegetables on her plate.

"We got the results of our English essay back." began Susan, with a smile that told all. "I am pleased to say I got the highest in the class!"

"Oh well done! I'm so proud of you!" beamed Mother.

"I came first in the cross-country race." said Peter.

"Didn't I tell you that running the paper round would help you train?"

"Oh, Mummy, did I tell you that my work has been put on display?" interjected Lucy.

"No, you didn't," said a pleasantly surprised Mother, "but I am pleased to hear that!"

There was a slight pause. Edmund could feel all eyes on him as he poked his carrots around the plate.

"And what about you, Edmund?"

Edmund glance up at this family's faces. Well, what had he done today? He'd got into a fight with some boys at school. He'd failed his Maths test. He'd been humiliated in front of the whole class. He'd been sent to the Headmaster and received a good scolding, both for his failing grades and violent attitude. But he could hardly say all that.

However, the look on Mother's face told him he didn't need to say it. She already knew.

So Edmund didn't bother repeating it. He just scowled at his toast.

"Oh, Edmund, you can't carry on like this!"

Edmund said nothing.

"I spoke to the Headmaster."

Still nothing.

"You should answer Mother when she's talking to you, Edmund." said Peter, in what Edmund thought was a very snobbish voice.

"I know thank you very much!" snapped Edmund suddenly.

"Then why don't you -"

"Boys." said Mother in a warning tone. The same tone that Susan could copy exactly. Then she put her cutlery down and looked right into her youngest son's troubled face. "Ed, dear, you never used to have all these problems…"

"All what problems?" asked Lucy.

"Never you mind, dear."

"Getting into fights." muttered Peter. Well, there was no point to poor Lucy being kept in the dark.

"Peter, please!"

"You just have to ignore them and walk away." said Susan sounding very patronizing.

"I think you'll find I can -"

"You should be the bigger person, that's what Miss always says -"

"Is it those boys who -"

Edmund wished they'd all just go away. He just wanted to stuff his hands in his ears and sing at the top of his voice so he couldn't hear them. Instead, he just glowered at the lots of them.

"Peter, Susan, Lucy, I'll thank you for not interrupting!"

The three of them fell silent. But Ed was sure they had not exhausted this topic. They would start up again later, when Mother wasn't around.

"Now, this has been going on some time, hasn't it? Ever since… ever since…" she trailed off.

"… ever since Dad left." finished Edmund for her.

"Yes." His Mother whispered. Suddenly, no-one felt like eating anymore. Despite the fact they were hungry still.

"How… how long has he been away?" chocked Lucy. Her bottom lip trembled slightly.

"2 months, 3 weeks and 5 days exactly." said Edmund before he could stop himself. "Not that anyone's counting."

Everyone started at him in an awkward silence. Edmund had had enough. He pushed his chair back and left the room without another word.

It was only when he was in the safety of him room (albeit, he shared it with Peter) that he let out the sob he had been holding back. No-one could see him now. So he let the tears pour.

The bitter part of Edmund that had been taking over him since the day his Father went, was saying; no-one cares either.

The times before the war and before his Father left felt like a hazy dream. They were the days when he, Peter and Dad played cricket in the garden. When Mother didn't have to work so hard and could read them stories. When Susan wasn't so serious all the time. When Lucy didn't look like she was about to cry at the mention of "Dad", "bomb" or "war". When Peter didn't think he owned the house.

He could just about remember all those games of "Knights". Peter was always the hero, galloping around on his noble steed to rescue the fair Princess (Susan) by defeating the evil villain keeping her hostage (Edmund). (Lucy was a bit young to play. But when she did, she was usually Peter's horse, even though she'd decided to name herself "Buttercup the Pony" much to Peter's dislike.) Edmund could remember getting annoyed that he was always the one that ends up dead.

But those days were gone. And in their place they left bitterness, selfishness, sarcasm and spite.

Edmund flung himself onto the bed and hugged the pillow to his chest as he cried.

He felt like his life had been turned upside down.

He used to have friends. But now they had all been evacuated.

He used to do well at school. But now he just wasn't motivated.

He used to get on with his siblings. But now they were just being annoying.

He used to be noticed. But now no-one gave him any thought.

He got no attention.

Peter was the man of the house, Susan was the beautiful lady, and Lucy was still the darling baby. But where did that leave Edmund?

A siren brought Edmund back from his miserable thoughts. An air-raid. At first he couldn't bothered to move. See if they even notice he wasn't with them.

Then he sighed and dragged his heavy feet down to the Anderson shelter.

The only thing that was keeping him going was the thought of his Father one day coming back to them.

~#~

So, any thoughts? I'd love to hear what you guys think so review review review!

I know it's a bit angst-y but I wanted to write about how Ed might have felt before L,W&W. I think it was probably his Dad leaving that made him change into the person who betrays his family to the White Witch.

R&R!


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